With her charismatic voice, Ethiopian singer Etenesh Wassié has spent more than a decade exploring new paths for ethio-jazz alongside musicians from the Toulouse-based collective Freddy Morezon. Their collaboration now culminates in the album Arada (2026) – a new project where Ethiopian singing traditions meet shimmering free jazz, alternative rock and fiery improvisation. We look forward to welcoming Etenesh Wassié and her quartet to ALICE this February. The concert is part of Vinterjazz.

Etenesh Wassié is one of the most charismatic voices on the Ethiopian music scene. Freddy Morezon is a music collective based in Toulouse. Together, they have created a unique take on ethio-jazz, bringing Wassié’s expressive alto vocals and the genre’s distinctive, melancholic Ethiopian scales together with the warm, enveloping sound of the double bass, the rich textures of strings and the driving force of drums. References to the godfather of ethio-jazz, Mulatu Astatke, flow in and out of blues, free jazz and alternative rock, creating a sound that is both deeply rooted and uncompromisingly curious.

With deep roots in azmari, Ethiopia’s centuries-old musical and storytelling tradition, Etenesh Wassié first made a name for herself as one of the leading singers on Addis Ababa’s legendary cabaret scene. European audiences first encountered her captivating vocals in the early 2000s, and she has since become a sought-after collaborator among Ethiopian and international musicians alike. These include Mathieu Sourisseau’s Le Tigre des Platanes, with whom she released the groundbreaking album Zèraf ! (2008). Since 2009, her continued artistic collaboration with Mathieu Sourisseau, whom we will also hear this evening, has resulted in the critically acclaimed albums Belo Belo (2010) and Yene Alem (2018), as well as numerous international tours and collaborations. When the quartet comes to ALICE this February, they will be presenting their acclaimed album Arada (Mr Morezon, 2026), taking audiences on a hypnotic journey through the many possible corners of ethio-jazz.

Line-up
Etenesh Wassié: vocals
Mathieu Sourisseau: double bass, acoustic bass
Mathieu Werchowski: violin
Fabien Duscombs: drums

The concert is part of Vinterjazz 2027, a nationwide festival running from 29 January to 28 February. Find out more at www.jazz.dk.